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feeling stressed
ellie2000
Posts: 4,412 Community Veteran
its a b*tch wen you feel stressed, hearts faster and breathing is out of control nd u cant go to bed. how do u cope wen no-one is around?
Crazy mad insane
2
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there are different ways that people can self-soothe; that is, calming themselves down when nobody else is around to help. different things help different people, so it's all about finding what works for you.
there is an article by the mix about creating your own mental health first aid box - I'll link it here. this is a go-to box filled with things that can soothe you when you are feeling anxious. perhaps you could have a go at making one of these?
if I remember rightly, you like gaming right? is there a game that makes you happy and is a nice distraction? that could be a great go-to for you.
i also like to listen to sleep stories when i am anxious but want to go to bed. Headspace and Calm both have some great ones, and you can find them for free on YouTube. i hope you can find something that works well for you
I also suffer from anxiety, and what I do to self - soothe when no one is around, is I like to sit by an open window so I can feel the fresh air and the wind on my face, feeling the fresh air can often ground me. Then, when I'm sat down I like to take 3 deep breaths in, so for the first three deep breaths, I inhale for 6 seconds, hold for 4 seconds and then exhale out for 6 seconds. Afterwards, I take another three deep breaths in, really noticing the sensation of the air filling my lungs and escaping from my lungs, and how my body expands and decreases in response to air entering and exiting my lungs.
Once I feel as if my heart has stopped racing, and my breathing has slowed down. I do a grounding exercise of looking around a room and noticing 5 colors, 4 things I can see, 3 things I can feel, 2 things I can hear, 1 thing I can taste. This exercise really helps me to ground me and bring me from my thoughts back into the present moment which I find often relaxes, as i often find that my thoughts are scarier than the present moment as they have negatively distorted my thinking, and what I believe is happening in the present moment is so far from the honest truth.
I also like to repeat self - soothing mantras to myself, as I find that they can stop my negative racing thoughts and change them to a steadier more positive thinking style. So, I like to repeat the sentences of 'I'm ok and everything will be ok' or 'I'm safe and everything is going to be okay'
Hope this helps at all. Wishing you all the best and sending you lots of virtual hugs your way.
I went through a time during my last couple years at school where I was super anxious and stressed about my grades and getting into university, but I didn't know it. It all came to light when I began to have panic attacks, and like you said my heart rhythm was off, I couldn't breathe and I felt dizzy and nauseous all the time! I had forgotten how to relax and give myself a break even though everyone was telling me to.
I haven't felt anxious or had a panic attack in 2 years! What has really helped me is writing in a diary or journal (whichever you prefer). As soon as I have the smallest feeling of stress, I write all my thoughts and feelings down and it honestly is an amazing way to let these stressful thoughts leave your mind, as well as creating some rationale behind them, which you can then work on.
I have also made a playlist on Spotify called Meditation (my username is patelshezz), which I would encourage you to listen to at night when you are asleep! It genuinely allows you to wake up in the morning feeling so positive about your day to come and any worries you went to sleep with - give my playlist a follow if you want to try it out
I also learnt how to 'breathe in a square' when I felt those moments of unrhythmic heart beats and struggling to breathe - you breathe in for 4 seconds, hold the breath for 4 seconds, breathe out for 4 seconds, hold for 4 seconds, and repeat the sequence until you feel more steady and comfortable.
I hope this helps you and feel free to PM if you want to speak more xxx
Everyone copes with stress differently but there are some things you can try:
24 Hour Mental Health Services:
Depending on your age, there are 24/7 mental health helplines that are available anytime you need to talk to them.
So if you're feeling restless in the middle of the night then here:
Lists of Mental Health Helplines
Search a helpline here